Flight attendants protest TSA plan to allow small knives on planes

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SEA-TAC AIRPORT, Wash. -- The fight to keep small knives off planes took to the front lines at Sea-Tac Airport Monday morning.

Flight attendants lobbied passengers to join them in putting pressure on the TSA not to change the current security policy.

A small group of flight attendants spent their own time handing out these leaflets that get right to the point. Their message is a simple one: The terrorists had small knives, they say, so "no knives, ever again.")

One of those protesting the change was Karen Levy, a United flight attendant for 33 years. She's adamant that her safety, and the safety of planes filled with people, could be in jeopardy if small pocket knives are allowed back on board.

"To us, it's total common sense," she said. "And we're the first line of defense on the aircraft."

In a little more than three weeks, TSA will allow passengers to take folding knives through security checkpoints, if the blade is less than 2.36 inches long and less than a half-inch wide.

Plus, golf clubs, pool sticks -- even baseball bats will be allowed again in the cabin.

"Well, I think until you can actually screen for quality of the person's heart and their intent, I don't think you're going to get all the weapons off the aircraft, but we have to do what we can," Levy said.

In the ongoing battle, the flight attendants have gathered more than 42,000 digital signatures on the website noknivesonplanes.com

But they realize time is running short to prevent the ban from being lifted. The TSA plans to for that to happen on April 25.